The Reluctant Student
by Ramica
Summary: Don and a nine year old Rama are in a battle of wills again chapter four what shape are pies and Don gets a little revenge on his student. Part of the Rama series.
1. Default Chapter

                                   The Reluctant Student

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adult or adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonian and their ninja Master. I also deny ownership of the poems used in this story.

I do own Ramiela.

Rama: Yeah sure you do! I am NOT a dog to be owned ya know?

Rating: G

~*~

 Don sighed wondering silently to himself who would ever be insane enough to choose teaching as a profession. One could not force a student to learn or to give of themselves fully to the tasks at hand, the child had to want to learn and a single bad student could be the cause of numerous headaches.

Don was fully aware how headache inducing teaching could be, especially when dealing with one single troublesome student like his nine year old niece Ramiela. She was his only student and if she was a hint of things to come then he might do better to forget teaching all together.

Rama never seemed to tire of finding new ways to avoid lessons, she was a reluctant student at best but reluctant or not it was his duty to the clan to see that she did not remain blissfully ignorant of the basics. Though Don harboured the feeling that Ramiela would probably much prefer being ignorant to doing early schooling.

She would cause distractions, make numerous excuses for unfinished assignments, play dumb when it came to doing her school work and any thing else that she could think of to get out of paying attention.

If she would only put one eighth of that energy into her schoolwork they might actually get somewhere but Don found that when trying to teach Ramiela anything, you had to allow a lot of time and torture by the enemy would not be half as draining.

Don could never be quite sure when Ramiela was fooling him about not understanding a subject, and he was fully aware that children were suppose to grow and learn at different rates but everything he had read told him Ramiela ought to be fully capable of the tasks at hand. Until he was sure she did understand he could not push ahead for fear of getting fully out of her depth.

So with all the patience he could muster he would explain things over five or six times if necessary, because he could never be too sure how much she had paid attention when he told her the last four times or so, and Rama would give him that wide eyed innocent look as she claimed.

" I don't get it! I can't do it! I just don't know how."

Can't or won't, that was the question where she was concerned and one Don wasn't sure how to answer. Many times he felt that Rama was only playing him for a fool and laughing behind his back. Those times that he was absolutely sure Rama was only joking caused him to lay down the law firmly.

She had learned ninjitsu with ease, could read above her age level, had memorized numerous songs and jokes proving that she did have a quick mind.

Yet give her a simple multiplication problem and she could give you three different answers for the same question. 

That was the current cause of this, most recent headache, he stared down at the math homework Ramiela had turned in and couldn't help but groan in frustration and weariness.

" Ramiela tell me something how can one times seven equal eight, six and zero," He asked holding his ire in check.

Ramiela looked up form where she sat at her desk " You mean it doesn't Uncle Donatello? I thought for sure it could. Ain't multiplying like adding?" Rama asked giving him a baffled look.

" Ramiela I have explained this before…"

" No you haven't. I wasn't here that day," Rama protested quickly.

" Ramiela trust me you were here in body if not in mind" Don scowled at her but she met his gaze with that serene calmness that said she didn't know what he was talking about.

" Adding you take only the numbers at hand and put them together. Multiplying you take two groups of numbers" Don explained in weariness. " You need to add seven ones to get the same amount as one times seven."

Rama scowled and sat back in her chair " See you're confusing me how can they both be the same when they are different numbers? I mean seven ones and one seven shouldn't be the same."

Obviously Ramiela was missing the point. Don was well aware that everyone had their weak points and he was starting to accept that Ramiela's weak point was math. Course if she didn't fool around as much as she did, that might change.

" Both adding of seven ones and multiplying one group of seven will give you the same number." Don answered.

Ramiela gave a wide cheeky grin " Then if I get the same number why do I need both adding and multiplying adding ought to be enough" she insisted petulantly.

Don got up from his desk and strode over to where his niece sat.

" Ramiela I know you are very smart and I wish you would apply some of that to your lessons instead of fooling around so much."

Rama stared up in to his gentle earnest face and gave an indifferent shrug in response to her uncle's kind plea.

Don kneeled by her chair " I know you feel this is a waste of your time and you would rather be doing things far more interesting then sitting in here learning math, science, history and languages but you do need an education."

" What for?" Rama demanded sulking slightly.

" To help you be a better kunoichi for one thing. I know you can do much better then what you are giving me Ramiela and I'd like to see you working to your full potential." Don gave her a look that said clearly he meant business.

Rama sighed and looked away, she didn't want to try harder. Don recognized that hard stubborn look on her face and knew that she wasn't listening to him. He gave a rueful shake of his head.

" Fine maybe you would rather not learn but then your friend Jessie might end up knowing a lot more then you do."

" I know just as much as Jessie maybe more cause I know ninjitsu," Rama boasted quickly taking the bait Don had cast so casually out.

" Sure you do right now but as he continues school and you refuse to learn he is going get way ahead of you." Don countered maybe a little competition between friends might be the incentive to get Rama learning.

As Don headed back to his desk he mused that pulling teeth was probably much easier and less painful in the long run then trying to teach such a reluctant student.

~*~

The last subject of the day was literature, this was usually one of the few subjects that Karena would teach Rama and Don knew for a fact that it happened to be one of Rama's favoured subjects.

However for the next few days Don was stuck as a substitute as Karena and Leo had gone away for a few days together. Ramiela was not amused that her Uncle Donatello was trying to take Karena's place and went probably harder on him then she did on other subjects where he was normally her teacher.

Rama pretended to sleep, or go through large fake yawns and stretches or accidental pen droppings until Don felt that he was quite literally nearing the end of his rope.

" Before I let you go Ramiela I will be talking to your dad about your behaviour today." Don warned her sharply.

Rama crossed her arms over her plastron glowering at her uncle " Snitch!" she grumped in a low whispered voice " Always making me look bad."

Don shot her a truly venomous glare as he heard her words " You make yourself look bad" he countered.

" Can I go now?" Ramiela demanded not bothering to hide her irritation.

" After I give you your literature assignment." Don promised, " I would like you to memorize and recite a poem of your choice for tomorrow's lesson."

" You expect me to learn an entire poem overnight?" Ramiela gave her Uncle a truly flabbergasted stare as if he had just told her he wanted her to memorize all of war and peace instead of a poem.

" Any poem you want Ramiela. Long or short I don't care. If you can recall the words for well over fifty different songs I think you can memorize a single poem of your choice" Don returned a touch testily. " Now you are dismissed."

Rama bolted from the school room as fast as she could wanting to get away from her uncles many demands and most of all from the school room itself.

Don watched her leave vanishing as quickly as if her very life depended on it.

Hopefully Rama would pick something of her creativeness or show him some of that potential that he knew lay dormant in his niece. She liked literature and might accept the challenge of this assignment when she had the chance to pick the poem instead of merely being told what was to be learned and recited for the following lesson.

Don wanted so much to see something that would give him hope that teaching this stubborn willful child could actually be done.

~*~

The next day Ramiela was strangely sullen and quiet in class bending to her task with none of her usual antics and games. This was to be expected whenever Mike heard of Rama's disobedience and disrespect towards Don he would crack down hard on his daughter and she would be grudgingly silent and obedient for a few days afterwards before returning to her usual boisterous antics and shenanigans.

" All right Ramiela let us go into literature and you can start by reciting your poem" Don suggested.

He was grateful for this brief interlude of learning but he knew it wouldn't last.

Ramiela stood up by her desk and with a very pleased smirk on her face recited Humpty Dumpty.

Don groaned in exasperation. He knew he couldn't really fault her. It rhymed, and could be considered a child's poem and he had allowed her to choose her poem.

He sank his head into his hands, his elbows propped up on his desk. He was ready to call it quits. Why was he even bothering trying to teach this attention deficit child who didn't want to learn in the first place?

It was clear she didn't want to be bothered and felt that he was going waste her time she would waste his. He felt like a dog that was endlessly chasing his tail never catching it but continuing to chase it.

He had to face the facts you could indeed lead a horse to water but you couldn't make it drink and there was no possible way to get a reluctant stubborn student to learn if they had no intent or desire to do so.

He sat there in silence feeling totally defeated knowing Ramiela had so much potential but also coming to accept in his heart that perhaps he wasn't the one to unlock it. Perhaps he ought to give up this whole teaching bit and go back to working on his own stuff, which was far less of a hassle and more enjoyable.

Rama felt quite content that she had got her own back. She had purposely picked one of the easiest things she could think of. Proof that she did not have to give in to her Uncles many demands of her.

She was rather proud of her cunning on this one but she began to doubt her accomplishment as Uncle Donatello continued to sit slumped at his desk. She was starting to wonder, silently to herself, if maybe what she had done wasn't so great after all.

As the minutes dragged on in mind numbing silence she waited feeling a little more uncertain. Then Uncle Donatello raised his head and there was something in his face that made her feel very bad and repentant for her rotten behaviour.

" Ramiela…" even his voice sounded different, Sort of strained and hollow.

Rama stood up by her desk " Can I say another poem Uncle Donatello?" She asked meekly.

Don glared at her wondering what she was planning to recite now? Twinkle little star. Or baa baa black sheep perhaps? He wouldn't put it past her. Rama would be the type to do that.

There was something about her stance an almost regretful uncertain look on her face that made Don wonder though.

" All right one more" he relented though he was sure she was only going rub his beak in it by repeating some worthless drivel but somehow he had to satisfy his own curiosity. Maybe to know for certain that giving up was the right choice after all.

At this point in the game could it really make a difference to either of them? Highly unlikely.

Rama took a deep breath and gave a tiny smile as she began her next recitation.

" Twas brillig and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe

All mimsy were the borogroves

And the mome raths outgrabe."

Don looked at his niece in stunned silence. He recognized this poem all right, but the words alone in it were not easy to recall or say for that matter and thus Jabberwocky was probably one of the most difficult poems anyone could ever memorize.

" Beware the Jabberwock my son

The jaws that bite the claws that catch

Beware the jubjub bird and shun the frumious Bandersnatch" Rama sang out in a singsong way a gleam in her bright eyes.

" He took his vorpal sword in hand.

Long time the maxome foe he sought

So rested he by the tumtum tree and stood a while in thought."

Don smiled he knew she was about halfway through the poem and hadn't flubbed a line yet. Here was a glimmer of what he always believed lay hid in his student and he had all ready decided that even if she couldn't manage the rest he would credit her well for the try alone.

" And as in uffish thought he stood

The Jabberwock with eyes of flame

Came whiffling through the tulgey woods

And burbled as it came." Rama was giving her all to this using her tone of voice to help carry the mood of the piece she was saying.

" One two! One two! And through and through

His vorpal blade went snicker-snack

He left it dead and with its head

He went galumping back.

' And has thou slain the Jabberwock 

Come to my arms my beamish boy

O frabjous day Calloh! Callay' he chortled in his joy."

Don leaned back in his chair a contented look on his face.

" Twas brillig and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe

All mimsy were the borogroves

And the mome raths outgrabe" Rama finished it with a flourish.

" I am suitable impressed Ramiela a better recitation of Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky I have never heard." Don admitted charitable.

Rama sat back down in her chair feeling a little better about herself now. Okay so she had given her Uncle a trifling little gift, what of it? It didn't mean she was going start really applying herself to these useless pathetic lessons.

Don sighed maybe it was too soon to give up. Yes she had a great deal of potential now if he could only manage to find a way to tap into it.

He had to admit he hadn't been expecting that and Ramiela had pleasantly surprised him, but then again didn't Master Splinter say that Ramiela knew far more then she ever let on?

For her sake he would keep trying he knew the war wasn't over by a long shot, he had many a long hard battle ahead of him yet, he wasn't fool enough to think otherwise, but he was going hold on to this day and that ray of hope that Ramiela had allowed to come shining through.

Don was ready to face the challenges of instructing this reluctant student, and he now was able to do so with renewed determination.

The End


	2. chapter two

The Reluctant Student

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adult or adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

Don glanced at his niece Ramiela, she was currently bent over the table top of her desk, one arm crooked over her paper and books while her other was free to move the pencil that was busy scratching away on the paper.

From Don's vantage point at his own desk, it was clear to him the scowl of concentration Ramiela bore as she worked away at the math work he had assigned her. Such diligence on her part was unexpected and Don felt uneasy, as to his knowledge and experience, this was an almost unheard of event.

Carefully and cautiously Don moved to get around Rama and see if she actually was doing as she was supposed to. He moved around his own desk and quietly along the wall coming up behind her where he could get a view of what held her attention.

Rama was scratching away with her pencil drawing a rather amusing picture of her Uncle Donatello with his eyes crossed, tongue hanging out and bandanna tails entangled around a bo staff.

Don glowered " RAMIELA!" he barked sharply.

Rama jumped a good two feet or more out of her seat her legs hitting the bottom of her desk causing her pencil to draw a jagged line right through her drawing.

" What?" Rama demanded quickly doing her best to recover from her Uncle's sudden appearance and yell.

" This doesn't look like your math work" Don replied testily as he snatched the picture from off of her desk " it looks more like art and that isn't the subject. Two pages of math homework for you tonight." Don declared quickly.

Rama scowled " Gives that back. It's mine I worked hard on it ya know" Rama snapped.

" I suggest you work hard on the work you are given three pages of homework ought to do it" Don said as he crumpled the artwork by closing his hand into a tight fist around the paper.

Rama crossed her arms over her plastron " I weren't done with that yet." She sulked

" Trust me you are done" Don insisted opening his fist revealing his hand to be empty of the paper in question.

" How'd you do that?" Rama asked knowing it had to do with ninjitsu but not knowing how.

Don smiled down at her " It was done and you best be getting to your math work" Don ordered, " before I decide to give you a lot more homework."

Rama frowned " You sure know how to take the fun out of everythin."

Don chuckled wryly as he walked back to his desk " It is my whole mission in life to make your life as difficult as you make mine"

" I knew it!" Rama exclaimed quickly, " I knew it all along" Rama gave a knowing nod as if her uncle had truly confirmed her worst fears.

" You have fifteen minutes to finish the original math work before I give more math homework" he announced.

He heard Rama sigh wearily and heard her petulant response " Least after this I gets Aunty Karena."

Don turned to face her as he leaned against his desk " I'm afraid not Ramiela, Leo told me this morning that Karena isn't feeling well, she was up most the night looking after Jeff." Don's own tone was quite short of an enthusiastic response.

Jeff was Aiden, and Kaliann's baby brother he had been teething and up crying and cranky for most of the night.

Rama's eyes grew large with disbelief " You gots to be joking" she wailed.

" I only wished that I was" Don groaned, for he knew full well what to expect from his niece whenever he ended up substituting for Karena.

It had only been a month since Ramiela had the audacity to recite humpty dumpty as a poem for literature, however when she recited Jabberwocky shortly there after Don had felt a spark of hope.

That spark of hope hadn't long unfortunately for it had been quickly dashed, suffocated might actually be a better term, as Rama returned to her old tricks and games in her lessons.

Don knew now that Rama did have a great deal to offer, but it was trying to convince her to give it on a daily basis that seemed to be his latest challenge with her.

" What a rotten day" he heard Rama mumble.

Don took a deep breath of his own in hopes of instilling a certain level of calmness now for he knew that no matter what he was going be in for it for the rest of the day.

A few minutes later Don asked for Rama's attention " Karena feels you are ready to learn cursive now."

Rama gasped, " Don't says that."

Don blinked in confusion " What?"

" Not what. **That** thing you said. My dad don't want me saying that."

" What cursive?" Don asked furrowing his brow.

Rama clapped her hand over her ears " That's a bad word. My dad don't want me cursin' he says its bad" Rama explained quickly, " Dad also says I gots to sets a sample for my cousins."

Don barely was able to choke back the laugh that threatened to come out at these words he rubbed his face with one hand masking the smile " Ramiela cursive…" he tried to explain once he managed to get a hold of his emotions.

" You **said** it again. Boy you are saying lots of bad words," Rama scolded.

" Ramiela cursive is not a bad word…"

" Your saying my daddy is wrong? I start a cursin and dad might just chuck me out of my shell" Rama protested.

" RAMIELA!" Don growled losing his patience " I am trying to explain that cursive means…"

" He's swearing again," Rama, sang out as she clamped her hand over her ears " nuff of that cursin."

Don threw his hands up in frustration " Why don't I just teach you to write then?"

Rama lowered her hand giving a cheeky grin in response " Bout time you realized you was wrong."

" I didn't say anything about you being right" Don insisted firmly.

" But if I write you wrong" Rama pointed out firmly.

Don groaned and rolled his eyes " Ramiela there are words that sound the same but mean different things and they are called what?"

" If you don't knows you can't spect me to tell ya" Rama declared giving an exasperated shake of her head.

Don gritted his teeth _patience,_ he reminded himself,_ remember that you are the teacher._ " Ramiela I am sure that Karena has taught you about homonyms and synonyms."

Rama licked her lips " I like cinnamon its good on toast. Is it break time yet?" Rama wondered suddenly having an urge to have a piece of toast with cinnamon on it.

Don rubbed his temples with one hand as he felt the start of a headache forming, this whole routine with Ramiela seemed reminiscent of the old Abbot and Costello whose on first routine, which Mike at one time had memorized and then preceded to drive the rest of the family almost up the wall with.

He scowled wondering if Karena hadn't taught Rama about these words, or if Rama was just playing dumb with him. Either was possible and Don was fully aware of how much his niece loved to play him for a fool, still if she didn't know what he was talking about it might be better to explain it.

Don went around his desk to the blackboard and picked up a piece of chalk before starting to write something blocking Rama's view so she couldn't see what he was writing down.

Rama knew that Uncle Donatello often asked her to put things on the black board and she was amazed that somehow with all their talk she had caused her Uncle to start writing on the board, perhaps this would come in useful later on.

Don was fully aware of Ramiela's interest in big words, she had always had an interest in them and learning about them so perhaps by putting things on the board she would understand better then if he simply tried to talk to her.

" You are mixing up many of your words Ramiela" Don informed her " the word cinnamon" he pointed to the word he had printed on the board " is a spice which is good on toast or in baking. A synonym however, happens to be words that are spelt differently but mean the same thing such as anger, rage and fury." Don printed these words out under the word of synonym. He then turned and faced Rama " If I wanted a synonym for the word youth I could say what?"

Rama grinned this sounded almost like a game, and she liked games. She scowled a bit then her face brightened " Child."

Don nodded " Right very good Ramiela. Now a homonym is any word that sounds the same but has a different meaning such as the words whole and hole. Or write and right." Don explained putting these words on the board.

Rama recognized those words she had them on spelling tests before " Or witch and which" she suggested recalling a couple of others she had on her test.

Don grinned " So you do understand" he replied as he turned to face her again he noted she was sitting up straight at her desk, an alert look on her face paying very close attention to him and the board.

" I told you I was going to teach you to write" Don pointed to the word he meant " but you got confused with the word right." Don pointed to the other word, " Perhaps Ramiela you can give me a synonym for the word right." He glanced at her an eye ridge raised in anticipation.

Rama grinned this was kind of fun, it really was very much like a game and one which let her use words she knew. Uncle Donatello never seemed to appreciate games of any kind, especially not the games she tried so hard to play with him. He usually didn't play at all just spent his time giving her homework for playing.

Rama tapped her fingers on her desk top as she considered " How bout correct?" Rama asked using one of the big words she knew for that.

" Correct is a very good word" Don agreed " so is precise or exact."

Rama giggled a bit, " Sensei" she said before starting to laugh out right at her joke.

Don chuckled himself recognizing his niece's sense of humour with that choice and yet she was also very correct in it for Leo was a perfectionist and that trait was not lost on Rama who had to meet his demands when it came to ninjitsu.

Rama grinned even wider when she heard her Uncle laugh, he laughed almost as rarely as sensei did, most of her efforts to get him to smile was a lost cause as Uncle Donatello usually ended up giving her a harsh scolding if she was lucky.

Maybe Uncle Donatello could play after all.

Don realizing that his student was now capable of understanding that much moved on " The act of writing isn't just used in doing individual letters like so" he wrote a few letters of the alphabet down " it also means joining the different letters to form a word. In printing we clump all the letters together to form the word we want." Don explained his back to Rama.

Rama sighed softly realizing her uncle had all of a sudden stopped playing and gone back to his famous, and incredibly boring explanations. Here she thought he was finally getting somewhere!

" In writing when the letters are joined together it is known as cursive" Don finished his explanation, picking up a rag to wipe the chalk dust off his fingers as he turned around to face Ramiela.

He noticed her slumped figure and her disinterested bored look, a sheer contrast to just moments ago when he had her complete and undivided attention. For a moment he could have sworn that she was getting into things and once again willing to give him an honest effort.

Now he saw her reluctant petulant look on her face and he could only shake his head.

He had been sure that he had come so close but now he felt that he was further then ever.

" So ready to learn cursive?" Don inquired arching an eye ridge at her.

Rama gave a small grin determined to try again, teaching her Uncle to be less boring and more fun wasn't easy but she had done it once she was determined to do it again " Sorry Uncle Donatello but my daddy really don't wants me swearin" Rama insisted firmly.

Don groaned inwardly, whatever connection he had with her for that brief moment was clearly gone, but he knew he had gotten through to her and had her full interest and attention and while it might not be easy he knew he could get it again. It was just a matter of time.

The End


	3. Moose Meese

The Reluctant Student.

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonian.

Author's note: This chapter occurred to me while on vacation. I also have Rama making fun of Canadians in this chapter, don't be too offended- I am Canadian after all- and my views and Rama's are not the same! But if we Canadians can't laugh at ourselves we have no right to laugh at anyone else! Ramica.

**Chapter Three – Moose. Meese.**

Don finished preparing his next lesson for Ramiela, the last few hours Karena had taken the young turtle child for her reading and writing lessons, giving Don a much needed chance to relax after the morning difficulties of trying to teach Rama.

Usually by the time Karena took over Don was more then ready to have a chance to calm down and refocus his thoughts. Today Don had decided that he would switch the science lesson from last lesson to now in hopes of maintaining Rama's interest on her studies.

The last few days Don had been teaching Rama about various animals that could be found in the world. It was a subject, surprisingly enough, that seemed to hold his niece's attention. She had certainly stayed far more focused and asked numerous questions that actually related to the subject at hand.

Don took that to be a very promising sign but then again any subject that held Rama's interest always showed some sort of promise to Don.

Rama now came skipping into the classroom she eyed her Uncle at his desk, " Aunty Karena teaches me how to write animal names." Rama announced cheerfully, " I gots a perfect on my test too."

" Really?" Don asked as he looked at the child, and arched his eye ridge. Rama always seemed to do exceptional work for her favourite Aunt. Don and Karena worked together to keep lessons closely connected when they could, so Karenas lesson of writing animal names fit in with the science subject.

Rama beamed giving a wide grin " She teaches me the bestest stuff." She informed her uncle daring to stick her tongue out at him quickly before returning to her smile.

Don sighed inwardly as he realized Rama was all ready set to start off causing problems and allowing herself to become distracted. He scowled a bit at that idea.

" I'm glad Karena took time to teach you more about your animal names because I decided that we are going study some members of the deer family in Science and I figured we could do it right now." Don informed her kindly.

Rama's smile grew wider as she heard this news, she scurried over to the side of the room and collected the book she would need for her lesson then went back to her seat. She sat down placing her books in front of her and, her right hand holding a pen as she glanced attentively towards her Uncle.

Don grinned himself as he saw his student prepare for her lesson, _' This doesn't seem to be such a bad idea after all.'_ He mused.

" Now deer family happen to fall under the family cervidae." Don began as he turned and wrote the family scientific name on the black board.

" Uncle Donatello?" Rama asked suddenly.

" Yes?" Don replied as he turned to look at her.

" Are you gonna teach about all kinds of deer?" Rama wondered curiously.

" That is the idea Ramiela I have a few members at least that we will be discussing."

Rama squirmed slightly in her seat " Includin' Reindeer like Santa has?"

" Well reindeer are real animals, however they don't fly." Don explained.

" Except for Santa's." Rama concluded.

Don tried his best to keep a straight face, he knew Rama believed in Santa so he mumbled a slight agreement instead of disillusioning the child. " Now deer happen to eat grass and twigs off of trees so they are considered what?" Don asked.

Rama scowled her brow furrowing slightly " A herbievore." She said quickly as the answer came to her.

Don nodded " A herbivore yes." Don had taught Rama about the herbivore, carnivore, omnivore back when they had started the lesson in animals.

" Now this animal lives in swampy areas in deciduous forest for the most part, living in the Northern areas of North America, which means they mostly live in Canada and Alaska." Don explained. " Though at one time they were found in many places throughout the U.S."

Rama made a face and started to giggle " Can-a-duh? What kind of place is that?" She bent over her desk laughing uncontrollably " Idiots in a can is that possible? Can of **duh!" **Rama chortled as she pulled on a truly idiotic expression onto her face.

Don groaned as he rolled his eyes skyward, he realized that he had somehow lost her, even with her interest in animals, simply because she had found amusement in the name. That was part of Ramiela's problem in any lesson. She could hear an ordinary word and find amusement in it, twisting it, into something else entirely and trying to get things way off track by doing so.

Don's features grew hard and stern " Ramiela!" he barked quickly, " That is quite enough Canada happens to be a country that happens to be North of our own Country."

Rama clamped her hands over her mouth as she continued to laugh " I sorry, it just sooooo funny." She managed to sputter out between her chuckles.

" I am sure you will continue to find amusement in it when you end up writing a five hundred word essay on Canada tonight." Don commented sharply.

Rama gulped and got herself under control muttering under her breath " It not my fault that country pick a stupid name for themselves."

Don heard her grumbled complaint " Make that six hundred. After all you may laugh at them and they may very well laugh at us, but it is important to be tolerant of **all** people." Don insisted, " Now this isn't suppose to be geography but science." He reminded her tactfully.

" Now alces alces happens to be the largest member of the deer family. It can weigh up to eight hundred kilograms ( approx 1,000-1600 pounds.). And antlers that normally range between one hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty centimetres.( Approx. 70 inches according to websites in American numbers. I wasn't going figure out the difference from metric myself. )" Don instructed he picked up a sheet of paper off his desk and brought it over to Ramiela's desk. " the Alaskan Moose is Alces gigas."

" That deer got to be huge!" Rama realized those numbers her uncle had given had seemed highly impressive to her at any rate.

" The moose is a very large animal, it is a strong swimmer able to swim at about six miles per hour, has bad eyesight and has been known to be a bit bad tempered." Don stated as he handed Rama a picture of the moose with certain facts written on the paper under the coloured picture. " In fact moose have been known to charge, cars, houses, people and trains."

Rama jerked her head back as she stared at the beast in the picture, a long ugly nose, a hump over its shoulders, a slight sloped back and long legs. The creature didn't look any thing even close to a deer, at least not as far as she was concerned. " If I looked like that I'd be pretty mad too!" Rama said.

Don tried not to laugh at her simple statement, he fought to control the smile that wanted to spread across his face, as he continued on with his instructions " To the Algonquin Natives the Moose is known as mong-soa or mongswa meaning twig eater." Don explained.

Rama still looked at the picture, no matter how she turned the paper, or what angle she looked at the moose it was still a pretty ugly creature looking more like it was made of spare parts then any thing. " Canadians have a funny country and funny deer." She declared after screwing up her face a bit.

Don groaned, " Ramiela are you even paying attention?" he asked in slight exasperation.

Rama looked up at Don. " No" she answered honestly, " You said we was gonna learn about **deer** Uncle Donatello, not some ugly creature."

Don shook his head wearily, though he had to give her a certain amount of credit for her truthfulness. " The moose is still a member of the deer family Ramiela" Don replied, " Now try to pay attention." He coaxed. " A herd of moose…"

" Sure I heard of moose. Don't wanna though, but you keep telling me about em." Rama pointed out.

" Ramiela many animals when they get in groups are known as a herd." Don corrected. " So moose can on occasion be found in small herds of a few cows and their calves."

" If they in groups they are mooses." Rama interjected quickly.

Don arched an eye ridge " Pardon?"

Rama sighed and rolled her eyes " One moose. Two mooses. If you see a small herd then you see mooses." She informed her uncle of this basic rule of thumb.

Don shook his head " You have that wrong Rama the plural form of moose is moose. So no matter how many moose you have the correct word is always moose." Don explained.

" No way! No how! You can't possibly get me to believe that Uncle Donatello." Rama declared she crossed her arms over her plastron giving Don her stubborn look.

" Look Ramiela I know Karena has taught you the basic rules of English where plurals are concerned."

" Rama sat back in her seat agreed " I know those rules all right. That is why you cant's tell me that two mooses are moose."

Don leaned against his desk rubbing his chin with one hand " Then why don't you tell me what those rules are?" He finally asked.

" Well in some areas you add just an s, like in cows or horses, cats, or dogs." Rama explained cheekily.

" That is very good. What about wolf or leaf?" Don queried.

" Then you drop f and add ves so it is wolves. A pack of wolves." Rama responded.

" Yes that is right." Don agreed.

" But there is no f in moose so it can't be moosves. That not following the rule," Rama stated in a matter of fact way, " But those rules get real funny. Maybe those funny Canadians made the rules cause sometimes those rules makes no sense whatsoever."

Don smiled slightly " How so Ramiela? Are you able to tell me that?" He asked humouring his niece. He knew for a fact she would tell him whether he wanted to hear it or not.

" Well if you have more then one house it is houses. Right?"

" Correct." Don admitted waiting for her to continue he even gestured her to do sowith one hand.

" But a mouse becomes mice. Don't know quite how that works but Aunty Karena say it so." Rama hastened to assure her Uncle of this bizarre rule. " Just likes if you got more then one goose you have geese."

" Very good. You obviously know your rules well, and there is one more rule on plurals which is?" Don hinted as he watched Rama patiently for a reply.

Silently he wished that Rama would apply herself to remember his lessons the way she remembered Karena's lessons.

Rama beamed suddenly " I gots it the plural of moose cant's be mooses."

Don cast a grateful look to the ceiling " Finally!" he whispered.

" If one goose becomes geese. Then moose has to be **meese!**" Rama yelled raising her hands in the air in pure triumph as she corrected her earlier punctuation. She knew now she had it right.

" Ramiela there is the rule that some plurals you add nothing to the word. So the single word and the plural remain the same." Don insisted firmly.

" Uh-uh Uncle Donatello. You can't just go and change rules like that" Rama declared sharply, " And I don't remember that rule. I think you just made it up." Rama informed him as she returned her arms to the cross position over her plastron.

" Ramiela…" Don began.

Rama ignored him as she shook her head violently in a negative fashion " Don't you even try tricking me cause I knows better a herd of moose is meese." She gave her Uncle a haughty all knowing expression.

Don grimaced groaning wearily, " Ramiela you are wrong about meese there is no such word." He remarked trying to keep the irritation out of his tone.

Rama gave her Uncle a hard stare " One goose happens to become geese when you add another goose right?" She spoke slowly as if to help her Uncle to grasp this rather difficult concept.

" Yes Ramiela but two moose are…"

Rama rolled her eyes and smacked the palm of her hand against her forehead slightly " Obviously meese" Rama interjected firmly, " Are you sure your not Canadian Uncle Donatello?"

" I am sure of the fact that your meese word doesn't even exist." Don replied narrowing his eyes at his niece and gritting his teeth.

" Can't ignore those rules," Rama pointed out " So it has to be one moose two meese." She held up first one then two fingers as she repeated her statement.

Don could feel the start of yet another headache coming on as he wondered how he ever got himself into these situations to begin with.

" Ramiela it happens to be moose no matter what." Don said. He knew though that Rama, even in her foolishness was offering some logic to her dispute for her imaginary word of meese.

Rama laughed " Sure if your Canadian maybe but I know it is meese." She insisted refusing to give ground on that area.

Don sighed as he realized that this was going to be another long day with his reluctant student. He decided then and there to get Karena to convince Rama about the plural form of moose and to continue the lesson by moving on to some other deer like Elk. Or Deer themselves anything but those confounded difficult moose.

He glared at his niece, she might be a turtle but she could be as stubborn as a herd of moose.

The End?

Reinbeauchaser: Don really shouldn't go curseving around Rama. It just isn't right. Personally I had a lot of fun writing both chapter two and three as well. I must admit I am glad the turtles aren't real or I know Don would be hunting me down to give me a hard lesson in bojitsu, for all this torture. A gratitude for your insight.

Lenni- yeah, Rama like Mike tries very hard to make her day just a little bit brighter and fun. Don might end up laughing more if only he could get his student's interest. Poor Don he always seems to get the worst of Rama's behaviour, but it makes for fun chapters. A gratitude for your insight.

Danceingfae: Home schooling has quite a few advantages but I'm sure Don would gladly send Rama off to public school if only he could. Children like Rama make teaching difficult for any teacher. I really feel for teachers who must deal with the Ramas of the world. A gratitude for your insight.


	4. Chapter 4: Two Pi's

The Reluctant Student.

Disclaimer: I deny any ownership of any adult or adolescent transformed shadow warrior chelonians.

**Two Pi's**

Don looked at Rama who was slouched in her desk, the nine year old looked as if she had been convicted of a heinous crime and would never live to see the light of day. It was a typical look for his niece when she was caught in the classroom area of the sewer lair. Personally, Don felt that it was he who must have done something, terrible, after all he was the one saddled with trying to get this lack luster student to shine or show some sign of, intelligence beyond simple basics. Don didn't know what he had ever done to deserve this, if he was one to believe in reincarnation, he might think that he had to atone for past sins. Whatever the case was teaching Rama was probably the most difficult thing Don ever had to do, and that was saying quite a lot.

"Rama let us go into math now" Don announced.

Rama looked up at him blinking her eyes "Pardon?" She muttered, as she twirled her pen in one hand.

"I want you to open your math book to page one thirty six please." Don stated firmly.

"I'm not done with _this_ yet" she grumbled gesturing to the papers and book on her desk, notes on geography.

"Then you will have to finish it for homework" Don informed her kindly "It is time for math."

Rama heaved a sigh and muttered under her breath "Saggin fraggin dipsticking pain in the..."

"Ramiela do you want to do an essay on respect?" Don barked quickly as his sharp ears caught her complaints.

"Sure, I can easily copy the ten others I've already done, on that subject" Rama agreed, rolling her eyes as she put that work away. Hauling out her math book and opening it to the requested page.

"Now when we talk about Pi." Don began.

"Pie?" Rama smiled suddenly licking her lips "What sort of pie, blueberry, cherry, apple, lemon meringue,rhubarb?" Rama shook her head, "Are we having a pie eating contest Uncle Donatello, bet I can beat you at it" Rama bounced in her seat. Math might not be so boring if they were going have pie. "Ohhhhh" she waved her hand suddenly "I know we can see how many ways you can slice a pie" she suggested enthusiastically.

Don smiled, as usual, his niece had things a little mixed up. "That isn't exactly what I meant Ramiela" he chided gently, "For that isn't the pie I am talking about."

Rama shrugged, she should have known that her Uncle wasn't talking about real pies, he was much too boring for all that, "What other kind of pie is there?" she demanded.

"In math Pi stands for something else and the formula that is used is two pi are square."

Rama cracked up laughing thumping a hand on her desk, "You gotta be joking! No way am I going believe that!" she hooted.

"Ramiela I am trying to teach you about Pi."

"You better talk to my dad then" Rama declared, "Because I help him with **lots** of pies and you know not a single one of them happens to be square. Two pies are round, **everyone** knows this Uncle Donatello. You are _trying_ to play a joke on me but it isn't working because I'm smarter then that" Rama boasted proudly.

"Ramiela the formula two pi are square..."

"Your thinking of cake Uncle Donatello" Rama kindly corrected him, "Cake can be square or rectangle but pie is always round no matter how many pies you have they are round. Round like a ball," she said then sang "The wheels on the bus go round and **round."**

"Ramiela!" Don barked, "Are you going to start paying attention."

"Only when you stop trying to teach me nonsense like pies being square. That is ridiculous, you are supposed to teach me useful things, not this stuff." Rama sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her plastron " I'm gonna tell my daddy on you. Tell him you are trying to fill my head full of nonsense."

Don groaned, he hadn't believed in God before he had his niece to teach but, he now found he spent a lot of his time praying, praying for patience, praying not to murder his niece, praying for someone else to take over this job so he could enjoy his life. So far none of his praying had made a difference. However Don knew when Rama got into this obstinate mood that very little could sway her.

"Why don't we forget Pi for today and we'll work on fraction instead." Don suggested.

"Sure easy for you to say, you get me all hungry talking about pies and then you decide to forget them" Rama huffed, she sighed, "I know maybe I can ask dad to make us pie for dessert tonight."

The rest of Rama's lessons went about the same but after Don was finished with teaching Rama, he went in search of Mike. He found his brother in the kitchen checking through the cupboards and fridge trying to come up with an idea for dinner.

"Mike can you do me a favour and make a couple of pies for dessert?" Don asked.

"What is this, first Rama, now you, want pies." Mike exclaimed.

Don whispered something to Mike and a slow smile crossed Mike's face as Don continued to talk in a low tone. Mike chuckled and then laughed out right.

"You can count on me, you know I love playing jokes" Mike smiled.

That night after dinner Mike went to fetch the dessert, which he had kept hidden, from sight at any rate, from all family members.

Rama however was telling Karena " We is havin' pie cause Uncle Donatello gots to talking about it in class and made me so hungry for it. Only he were tryin' to lies to me." Rama insisted shooting Don a sour look.

Jennifer arched an eyebrow "Twp pi are square?"

"No they ain't pies are round" Rama corrected Jen, "I see he gots you believin' him."

Mike entered and placed the pies in the table "Two pies are what Rama?" Mike inquired innocently as he placed two square pans down on the table.

"Those pies are square!" Rama gasped staring in shock and awe, "But daddy pies sposta be round."

"Not when they are two pie Rama, and if you listened to your teacher, you'd know **that**." Mike informed her, "And I best not hear of you giving him any more trouble tomorrow when he tries to teach you about pi, because any more trouble on that count young lady, and you won't be sitting down for a week" Mike threatened.

Rama nodded meekly replying "yes dad" as she took her fork and bit into her piece of square pie, it tasted the same, in spite of its shape. she raised her head glowering at Don, knowing somehow he was behind these two square pie, but she knew better then to complain about it, this was one battle she might have to forfeit but it didn't mean the war was over, not by a long shot.


End file.
